Junior Year
by YellowSteed
Summary: Percy is invited by his best friend Jason to help run their school's Mythology Club. Friendships and relationships are shaken over the year. Will Percy survive the tangled web of politics and get the girl he likes? Rated T just in case I slip up somewhere in the future.
1. To Help A Friend

**Chapter 1: To Help A Friend**

My eyes opened to the unwelcome glare of neon lights proudly declaring the time. I blinked slowly while staring at them. The image of "9:45" burned into my retinas. It was an odd hour to wake up at on a Tuesday in the summer, but then again I'm kind of an odd person. I blinked twice more rapidly, becoming aware of the weight of my sheets. They were as heavy as a lead blanket. Yep, it was destined to be another day in bed for me. As I rolled over to face the ceiling I heard my phone buzz. In the dimly lit room the harsh glare from its screen blinded me, even from an angle. I slowly rotated back to my nightstand while brushing my hair out of my face. My phone had received a message; it was from Jason. Inwardly I groaned. Jason was my best friend but we nearly always had work to do when we were with each other. Over the course of the summer I think we spent one day relaxing at his house with some other friends of ours, playing games and watching movies. One day out of the whole summer. That should tell you something about the guy. Whenever one of us had to get ahold of the other it was always for some sort of work, and I really did not want to do anything of the sort right now. Summer is nearly over for us. School starts in 2 weeks and I already had plans of doing nothing for all of it. I guess if he's trying to reach me in the morning though it must be important. I unlocked the screen and opened my messages.

"You have 1 unread message". Oh joy.

I opened it. It read: "Hey did you forget about the meeting today? All of the officers are meeting with Chiron at 1pm in his room."

Well crap. I _had_ forgotten. I didn't think that Jason was actually going to force me to follow up on this, I thought it was a joke.

_3 Months Ago_:

I sat down at my usual table in the cafeteria. There were plenty of other students moving around during lunch, but none wanted anything to do with me. I was fine with that, more table space for me. I reached into my backpack and pulled out my brown bag. PB&J, yum. My mom wanted to make me tuna sandwiches but I told her I couldn't eat them. It just felt wrong to eat a fish, even if it was dead. We made do with other meats, but sometimes it was good to go back to basics. Before I took my first bite I noticed Jason making a beeline for me from outside. As the two flavors mixed and whirled in my mouth, he took a seat across from me.

"Hey Percy how are ya?" Jason asked with a smile. I finished chewing and swallowed.

"Pretty good, what's up with you? You seemed like you were in a hurry just now". His eyes narrowed.

"I need to ask you for a serious favor. You remember that I'm going to be an officer of the Mythology Club?".

The Mythology Club was one of the few things on campus that I was a member of. Aside from the student body that is. Anyways the club has a few officers that help run things with the advisor, Mr. Chiron. Near the end of every school year we have elections to determine who becomes an officer the following year. There are several requirements for eligibility such as commitment, GPA, how long you've been a member, etc. I joined the club midway through the year and had a blast, but that wasn't nearly long enough to become an officer. There's also only ever one sophomore elected each year, and they're usually handpicked by Mr. Chiron to be president of the club in their senior year. Since Jason and I were both sophomores, and Jason had been a member since he started high school, everyone assumed he would end up being president during his senior year.

"Yeah you're practically a shoe-in for that. What does that have to do with me?" I wondered. He uncapped a water bottle from his bag and took a swig. His blue eyes locked onto mine.

"I've speaking with Chiron about this year's potential candidates and we're unsure how the club will be run in a few years". Oh right, Mr. Chiron likes being addressed by his last name only. I need to start doing that. It would help if I didn't refer to him as Mr. Chiron every time I think about him. "Specifically, who will be helping me when I'm in charge in 2 years" he continued. "To that end, we both want you to run for an officer position this year".

I froze. Like, literally froze. Jelly started oozing onto my fingers as I held my sandwich inches from my open mouth. It took me a few seconds to process what he was saying. "You want me to help you run the Mythology Club?".

Jason smiled, flashing his perfect set of white teeth. "That's what I would like, yes. Are you up to it?".

It was an unexpected proposition. I tend to shy away from leadership roles, especially at school. The last time I was in charge of anything was back in elementary school when I was captain of a soccer team during recess. Some girls thought it would be hilarious to push me into the ground and feed me things they found in the nearby pond. They taunted me and got everyone else outside to call me "Seaweed Boy". I was so embarrassed I sought sanctuary in books and spent all my free time reading instead of playing with others. So yeah, I'd rather not be in charge of something again. But this was coming from Jason, my best friend. If he's serious about needing help then I'm probably his best bet. I would never let any of my friends down, especially if they're counting on me.

"All right, I'll do it" I managed to mumble before engulfing large portions of my sandwich.

"Great, I'll tell Chiron! And thanks Percy, it means a lot", he said sincerely.

_Present Time_:

Well I guess I have to go, I don't want to let Jason down. I sent a reply telling him I'd meet him there, then let out a yawn. Doesn't mean I have to like leaving my bed.

"Thanks again for the ride Mom" I said. Sally Jackson smiled.

"Now Percy you know you don't need to thank me for everything I do" she winked at me.

"True, but it's the right thing to do. At least that's what I think you'd want me to do" I replied. She leaned over and ruffled my hair.

"Do you know when you'll be done today?" she asked.

"Not a clue, but hopefully not later than 4" I returned. Sally kissed my forehead.

"Go get them tiger!" she said happily.

"Yeah okay Mom, it's just a meeting. But will do." I exited the car and began walking through the deserted parking lot. Well, not completely deserted. In the far corner of my eye I could make out the outlines of two cars, but the fog obscured me from any chance of identifying them. I made my way to the front entrance of the school. The entry doors had a covered walkway in front of them supported by a dozen or so columns with an arched roof. I always got the sense that I was walking into a building from ancient times when I entered the school. Except for the gum stuck to the ground and water fountains located just inside the doors. After entering the school you're placed in a hallway that goes directly to the opposite end of the school. There are several perpendicular halls that take you to different wings of the school, like the Science Hall or the Math Hall. Mr. Chiron's classroom…err Chiron's classroom was located in the Language Hall at the far end of the school. The Language Hall was an offshoot of the Science Hall so it often smelled like something was burning. As I walked towards his room I made a note to myself to talk to Jason about containing that odor. Voices echoed towards me from around the far corner of the Science Hall.

"Haha yeah I just finished writing mine last week. It sounds so stupid and I have no idea what I'm talking about" one voice pierced through the air.

"I'm not doing that at all. I'm just worried about the first day of English class. I didn't read _anything_ we were assigned over the break" a lower voice complained.

"Speaking of English, have any of you gotten your schedules yet?" asked a third voice.

I was only several paces from the corner at this point.

"Nah I heard they're going to start giving them out next week" said Jason's familiar voice. I smiled as I rounded the corner. A small group of people were standing outside of Chiron's classroom, their heads turned towards me. I met Jason's eyes with a nod, and glanced at the others one at a time. The lower voice I had heard belonged to the long, lanky guy with unkempt black hair. Prominent black circles sat beneath his eyes, and I had a feeling they were going to stay there for a while. He stared at me blankly as my attention fell upon the girl next to him. Jet-black spiky hair and ripped jeans signaled a rebellious nature, but her startling electric-blue eyes made me reconsider my analysis. She was someone I did not want to cross, and someone I did not want to disappoint. Her intense stare made the hairs on my neck stand up straight as my gaze fell to the last member of the group. Blond curls dangled over her forehead. She was standing at her full height but had to look up to make eye contact with me. When she did my smile faded. Her eyes were a stormy gray and seemed to always be moving. I had never seen a pair of eyes like that in my life. After a few moments the clouds seemed to lighten, and her eyebrows arched upwards.

"Is he okay?" she asked no one in particular. Jason walked over to me and shut my open mouth.

"Yeah he's fine, probably still yawning from waking up late" he replied.

"Hey! How would you know anything about that?" I retorted. He smirked.

"I've know you for 2 years now, you sleep whenever you get the chance".

"Yeah yeah.." I mumbled, admitting defeat. The girl with the spiky hair looked at Jason expectantly.

"Is this the new officer? He looks vaguely familiar" she wondered.

"Ah yes, how could I forget?" Jason cried. "Let me introduce you all to Percy Jackson".

The girl who last spoke turned to me with a smile. "Hey I'm Thalia, President of the Mythology Club".

The guy who had been staring at me since I arrived spoke up: "I'm Nico, Treasurer for the club".

I turned to the last girl. Grey clouds greeted me. "I'm Annabeth. Jason and I are both Vice Presidents of the club".

I looked to Thalia, a confused expression on my face. "Where does that leave me?". She smiled.

"You're going to assist everybody".


	2. Setting Things Up

**Chapter 2: Setting Things Up**

Inwardly I danced with joy. All I had to do was help everyone else? That's what I already do every day at school anyways, now it just extended to a few more people.

"Oh um alright, that's fine with me" I responded. A guilty expression formed on Thalia's face.

"I honestly wanted you to have a meaningful position Percy, but we couldn't think of something that we needed to have represented or taken care of".

"It's okay, I'm just happy to help" I reassured her. A wave of relief washed over her. Blue eyes flashed me a look of gratitude when I heard a squeak on the floor behind me. I turned around to see Chiron looking at us all.

"Am I glad to see you guys! We have so much to do for the coming year!" he exclaimed.

"Oh Chiron, you know we're happy to help" Thalia said. He smiled. "Let's get started then, shall we?". He rolled over to his door and stuck his key in the lock. Right, I said rolled. I mean the wheelchair Chiron was sitting on rolled over to the door. No one knows for sure why he's incapacitated. At the start of all of his classes Chiron informs his class that anyone who asks for details about his injury will be dropped from the class. No one yet has asked him about it as far as I know, but occasionally kids will talk about it when he's not around.

The door swung open with ease. Chiron wheeled himself inside, followed by the rest of us. Nico brought up the rear and propped the door open with a wooden doorstop. We now stood in a room we were familiar with, having taken Chiron's classes for at least a year. Oh, I forgot to mention: he teaches Latin. With a little bit of Greek thrown in as well. So imagine a standard sized-classroom with giant maps of ancient times adorning the walls, poster-sized drawings of mythological people and creatures, and of course your standard Latin alphabet poster. There was a large box placed on top of each of the desks in the front row, ten in total.

"Would you all mind helping me set up the room for the year before we start our meeting?" Chiron asked. We each nodded in turn and chose a box. I lifted the lid off of mine and stared at its contents. Several unpolished pieces of armor stared back at me. They looked like they would fit a teenager well, but not an adult. I caught a glimpse of the tip of a blade and what looked like a bone handle before Chiron called my name. "Percy! I must have misplaced that box, please put the lid back on it and give it here". As I obeyed his request, he gazed wistfully at the container before I placed it into his arms. I headed back over to find another box and hear what the other officers were talking about.

"I just can't wait for Mythology Night this year, it's going to be so much fun!" Annabeth exclaimed as she set up a Grecian urn display. It depicted Kronos eating his children if I recall the story correctly, which is kind of disturbing if you ask me.

"Oh I know, I have so many ideas for booths and activities. I've been writing them down in a notebook all summer, it's practically full already" Thalia added, her eyes glowing. I glanced at Jason, who had an amused expression. Only Nico seemed uninterested by the conversation, having emptied the contents of two boxes already. "I'm more excited for the parade myself, I love dressing up as a warrior of ancient times" he suddenly stated. I suppressed a laugh; I could not imagine this tall guy with bags under his eyes as a fierce warrior of Greece or Rome. But then again, who am I to say what is and is not possible?

Jason and I finished taking care of the last of the boxes, and the classroom once again felt like a friendly museum. "Okay everyone, let's get this show rolling" Chiron announced, bringing himself to the front of the room. "Thank you for your help in setting up the room" he thanked us. We all told him it was no trouble at all, and began arranging the desks in the front row into a circle. Chiron placed himself at the twelve o'clock position, with Annabeth on his left and Nico on his right. I sat next to Nico while Jason was next to Annabeth. Thalia was seated directly across from Chiron as most of the meeting was back and forth between the two. We learned that the school parade was on the third Friday of the school year, which was almost a month from now. The most difficult thing was determining when Mythology Night would be.

"So what about the last Friday of April?" Thalia asked.

"No, that's one of the potential days for the finals of the Gladiator Games" Jason answered. He was one of the leaders of the Gladiator Club which was advised by, oddly enough, the athletic department. I guess they thought being a gladiator was more about working out than swordsmanship.

"Okay, why not the first Friday of May then?" she tried again.

"No, that's the other potential day for the Games" Jason responded. Chiron's brows furrowed.

"Well those are really our only reasonable options for this year, we're just going to have to pick one and hope for the best" Chiron reasoned. Jason's face looked glum. I made eye contact with Annabeth and shrugged my head. She made a pouty face, bringing a smile to my face. I caught a twinkle in her eye before she lowered her head to continue taking notes.

"Ok, let's have a vote then" Thalia said. "Who wants to have Mythology Night in April?" she asked. I raised my hand along with Nico. "And those who want it in May?" Everyone else present raised their hands. "Okay then, it's settled. Mythology Night will be held on the first Friday of May. Mark your calendars everyone" she ordered.

The rest of the meeting was spent discussing what everyone was responsible for as officers of the club. Jason and I were the only new officers, being juniors. Everyone else was a senior had been an officer for at least one year. They had some fun with the two of us when discussing our duties.

"So Jason, you're a vice president. Basically you or Annabeth need to take notes of every meeting we have and keep them in this binder here. Whenever a conflict or issue arises within or outside the club, you need to deal with it yourself. Unless of course you feel it is appropriate to bring to either my or Chiron's attention, in which case don't hesitate to do so. Also, whenever I'm not around you will be in charge" Thalia explained.

"So basically do whatever I say, and bring me something to eat every time we have one of these meetings. Something about this classroom makes me hungry" Annabeth added, licking her lips. We all laughed. She smiled and looked at Jason. A cold lump settled into my throat.

"As for you Percy…" Thalia looked at me mischievously, "you'll basically fill in wherever you're needed". I glanced at her nervously. "That doesn't mean getting Annabeth snacks does it?" Thalia laughed. "If it's essential for whatever she's doing, then I imagine it does". She looked over at Annabeth, who was enthusiastically discussing something with Jason and Nico. "Although she seems pretty energetic without them". I nodded in agreement.

Chiron had been going over some of his lesson plans for the year after we decided on the date for Mythology Night. After going through a stack of paper he sighed and took a sip from his seemingly never-empty mug. "Hey guys I guess we can call it a day since we figured out most of the scheduling for the year. Go enjoy the rest of your Tuesday!" he told us, before looking at another pile of papers. Nico, Jason, and Annabeth left together, still chatting amongst themselves. I looked at Thalia. "How are you getting home, do you need a ride?" I asked. Her blue eyes sparked with amusement. "No I live close to here, I just walk home instead. I'm going to talk to Chiron for a while, but thanks for the offer" she answered. I smiled. "Anytime." As I walked out of the room I glanced back. Thalia had a worried expression as she conversed with Chiron, using her hands in gestures that I hadn't seen her do before. Chiron listened with what seemed like a steady expression. What could have Thalia worried so much before the start of the school year? I shrugged. This would be an interesting year.


End file.
